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Founder Institute & AppCampus Team Up to Support Top Mobile Entrepreneurs with Training, Tools & Capital

Today we are excited to announce to announce a partnership with AppCampus to support promising U.S. mobile startups with vital training, mentorship, tools, and capital.

AppCampus, a global mobile application development program led by Aalto University in Finland, deploys funding by Microsoft and Nokia to foster the creation of innovative mobile applications for the Windows Phone ecosystem. Through this partnership, the Founder Institute will integrate AppCampus into its entrepreneur training curriculum across its U.S. chapters, giving all program participants access to exclusive Microsoft mobile tools and coaching. In addition, the most promising mobile startups have the opportunity to receive up to 70,000 euros in development grants. Applications for several U.S.-based Founder Institute programs are open now at http://fi.co/join.

U.S.-based FI Graduates interested in AppCampus can see the next steps in the private section of the blog below.

“Of the Founder Institute’s over 800 graduate companies, several hundred companies are currently developing applications for the Windows platform,” says Adeo Ressi, Founder & CEO of the Founder Institute. “AppCampus is a perfect partnership for us, as it opens doors for our companies to most effectively use the Windows Phone Store as a distribution channel.”

One such graduate, Yumvy, which guides users through the process of cooking a meal, has already received a grant from AppCampus to bring the interactive tool to the Windows Phone Store. Yumvy is a graduate of the Silicon Valley chapter of the Founder Institute and has already been featured by Microsoft as a top app for the Windows Surface tablet.

“AppCampus is ecstatic about FI collaboration, we are on a quest to build a global partner alliance around AppCampus and reach developers through them”, says Pekka Sivonen, head of AppCampus. ”We want to help mobile entrepreneurs all around the world evolve into the next generation of mobile innovation, and with the help of likes of Founder Institute, we’re making that happen.”

Within the AppCampus program, mobile entrepreneurs can benefit not just from award funding, but also comprehensive coaching, marketing support, training in mobile technology, design and usability to create innovative new mobile apps and services. The best teams are invited to AppCademy, a 4-week intensive training camp held in Finland, where teams receive extensive training and coaching.

Through the Founder Institute’s 4-month, part-time accelerator program, aspiring company founders can receive expert training, feedback and support to launch a technology company - without quitting their day job. Based in Silicon Valley, the Founder Institute has programs in over 40 cities across 6 continents. The program is open to a variety of candidates, including employed or unemployed, those with or without ideas, and those with technical or business skills.

About The Founder Institute

The Founder Institute (www.fi.co) is an early-stage startup accelerator and global launch network that helps entrepreneurs create meaningful and enduring technology companies. Through a part-time four month program, existing and prospective founders can launch their dream company with expert training, feedback, and support from experienced startup CEOs - while not being required to quit their day job. In just four years of operation, the Founder Institute has helped launch over 800 companies across 42 cities and six continents - making us the world's largest startup accelerator. Our goal is to "Globalize Silicon Valley" by launching 1,000 meaningful and enduring technology companies per year in over 50 cities worldwide.

About AppCampus

AppCampus (www.appcampus.fi) is a global mobile application development program led by Aalto University, Finland. Funded by Microsoft Corp and Nokia, the AppCampus program has been set up to foster the creation of innovative mobile applications for the Windows Phone ecosystem to create a new generation of self-sustaining mobile startups. AppCampus is aiming to attract thousands of application proposals from students and entrepreneurs from all over the world. Within the AppCampus program, mobile entrepreneurs can benefit not just from award funding, but also comprehensive coaching, marketing support, training in mobile technology, design and usability to create innovative new mobile apps and services.

The Founder Institute is the world's largest entrepreneur training and startup launch program, helping aspiring founders across the globe build enduring technology companies. Based in Silicon Valley and with chapters across 50 countries, the Founder Institute has helped launch over 1,563 companies in 5 years. The company's mission is to "Globalize Silicon Valley" and build sustainable startup ecosystems that will create one million new jobs worldwide.